Wyndham Rewards - Baymont Inn Check-in Experience, Batesville, MS

In an attempt to capitalize on the 10K miles for three brand stays, I booked a room at the Baymont Inn and Suites in Batesville, MS.

Upon arriving at the hotel at 9 PM or so, the front desk person was sitting at the lobby PC surfing the web eating her popeye's chicken. (No problem with that) There was a car parked under the roof at the pull through that blocked the pull through. (Minor annoyance) By the time I walked in the door, she was back behind the counter and in the middle of he check-in she asked to be excused so she could use the restroom. (W H A T? Never had that happen before) as soon as she gets back, she resumed the check-in and in the middle of it all, she makes a personal call. (Now I am getting really annoyed). This wasn't answering a personal call; this was her dialing a personal friend. Just out of curiosity, I make a comment about the car in the pull through, and she says that it was hers!

To add insult to injury, when I get to the room, (again, Batesville, MS in the middle of June) the air conditioner is off, the room was literally 85 degrees plus. I set up my laptop and surprise of surprises, the internet will not release an IP address. When I called down to the desk, she says, "I don't know nothin about that."

Thankfully, this was the third different property within the Wyndham Chain and I can forget about Wyndham for a long long while.

I realize that a lot of us are probably "testing the waters" by staying at these brands for the 10K promo as myself, even to the point to just checking in to get miles and not actually staying. I hope even though you have washed your hands of the whole experience, that you follow-up w/comments to Wyndham as those "annoyances" you refer to should be corrected.

In an attempt to capitalize on the 10K miles for three brand stays, I booked a room at the Baymont Inn and Suites in Batesville, MS.

Upon arriving at the hotel at 9 PM or so, the front desk person was sitting at the lobby PC surfing the web eating her popeye's chicken. (No problem with that) There was a car parked under the roof at the pull through that blocked the pull through. (Minor annoyance) By the time I walked in the door, she was back behind the counter and in the middle of he check-in she asked to be excused so she could use the restroom. (W H A T? Never had that happen before) as soon as she gets back, she resumed the check-in and in the middle of it all, she makes a personal call. (Now I am getting really annoyed). This wasn't answering a personal call; this was her dialing a personal friend. Just out of curiosity, I make a comment about the car in the pull through, and she says that it was hers!

To add insult to injury, when I get to the room, (again, Batesville, MS in the middle of June) the air conditioner is off, the room was literally 85 degrees plus. I set up my laptop and surprise of surprises, the internet will not release an IP address. When I called down to the desk, she says, "I don't know nothin about that."

Thankfully, this was the third different property within the Wyndham Chain and I can forget about Wyndham for a long long while.

You definitely had a poor experience and should communicate your thoughts on the experience to the hotel's management. However I do want to mention that Baymont is not a part of the Wyndham chain, its one of the 12 chains/brands that Wyndham Worldwide has, Wyndham is its own chain. Also each Baymont is independently owned/operated, so I'm sure your experience at this property would not be reflective of your experience at other properties. So I wouldn't be so quick to write off Wyndham.

....However I do want to mention that Baymont is not a part of the Wyndham chain, its one of the 12 chains/brands that Wyndham Worldwide has, ....

Wyndham is trying to build brand awareness/loyalty with this promotion. Asking or suggesting there are different levels of brand quality because of hidden ownership of the brand or the individual properties does nothing to appease me.

After thirty years of travel, I am savvy enough to know that Days Inn are come as you are and not to expect too much. (My earlier stay at one of their properties this week didn't warrant a complaint about a very tired hotel.) Baymont is a fairly new brand and the hotel reflected that posture. Customer service is pretty elementary. I am not going to write to the hotel, I know what to expect with Hojo's and got what I paid for there too. I wrote the post here mainly for my own amusement and the amusement of others. Perhaps to advise others in pursuit of this promotion to be very leery, be very leery.

Wyndham is trying to build brand awareness/loyalty...

Awareness that aside from a few random (relative) gems in the system, in general they suck. Of course if you have expectations of such, it's not so bad for a cheap night.

Wyndham is trying to build brand awareness/loyalty with this promotion. Asking or suggesting there are different levels of brand quality because of hidden ownership of the brand or the individual properties does nothing to appease me.

After thirty years of travel, I am savvy enough to know that Days Inn are come as you are and not to expect too much. (My earlier stay at one of their properties this week didn't warrant a complaint about a very tired hotel.) Baymont is a fairly new brand and the hotel reflected that posture. Customer service is pretty elementary. I am not going to write to the hotel, I know what to expect with Hojo's and got what I paid for there too. I wrote the post here mainly for my own amusement and the amusement of others. Perhaps to advise others in pursuit of this promotion to be very leery, be very leery.

Of course they are trying to build awareness of their brands with this promotion, thats a given. I'm just saying that to write off a specific brand or family of brands as the result of one or two stays is not really a fair decision considering that like I said all the hotels are owned by different companies, people, etc. People don't seem to understand with hotels that in most cases they are franchises and not all owned/operated by one company. The same applies to most major hotel companies out there including Wyndham Worldwide brands, Hilton brands, Marriott brands, Choice Hotels, etc.

With all that said, poor service is no excuse regardless of the brand or ownership, but how is not communicating your concerns to the hotel going to do anygood?? Being in a customer service business myself, it gets me going when people will come on here to complain about a poor experience but not even communicate the problem to the hotel and give them an opportunity to correct itself or at least respond. Maybe the hotel manager/owner doesn't have any idea about the poor performance of this front desk clerk, and they would not know unless somebody said something to them.. You'd be doing the hotel and future guests a favor.

Awareness that aside from a few random (relative) gems in the system, in general they suck. Of course if you have expectations of such, it's not so bad for a cheap night.

There lies the problem, people go into so many of these hotels paying, $49, $59, etc. a night and expect a luxury experience. Or they will compare the hotel to their last stay at a Hilton or Marriott. If you go into it expecting an experience in line with what you are paying you ideally will not be disapppointed.

<Hi, UP. I'm doing the same thing myself :)>

Anyhow, in my case I'm zeroing in on three particular properties:

1. The Knight's Inn within a short walk of where I work. Stayed there many nights in the past (when I was much more naive and unaware of hotel programs) and, while it's certainly no Hampton Inn, it's perfectly fine for my purposes (gettin' dem miles!). And, it's only $39/night.

2. The Super 8 is just down the road. Never been to one before so tomorrow I bust my S8 cherry. Not expecting very much beyond a place to sleep and a shower. Various reviews say I'll get at least that, so it should be OK. $44/night

3. There's a Baymont a couple of miles away, but it's an easy drive. I've had good luck with Baymonts before (well, I stayed in one that was quite OK) and they are newer, so I'm, assuming it'll be fine. I think I'm paying $59/night.

And those are it. Looking forward (not really) to hotel-hopping my way to fame and fortune (well, miles anyhow) with those three props from now until September. The KI is cheap enough that I can do the occasional mattress run as needed to fill in my 3-of-a-kind.

Yes; you'd better believe I'm saving every receipt.

There lies the problem, people go into so many of these hotels paying, $49, $59, etc. a night and expect a luxury experience. Or they will compare the hotel to their last stay at a Hilton or Marriott. If you go into it expecting an experience in line with what you are paying you ideally will not be disapppointed. Sorry, that is a ridiculous statement. I paid the rack rate. Did I comment on anything that was reflective of a Hilton? or Marriott?

As a paying guest, I am entitled to a prompt checkin and a room that is not hotter than hell.

I didn't complain about the lack of elevators and the fact that I requested a ground floor. I didn't complain about the fact that there is one ice machine for the whole building(and it is on the first floor). I didn't complain about the fact that while they say breakfast is served at 6 AM there was no coffee available.

What I do expect is what they advertise and what I pay for.

Sorry, that is a ridiculous statement. I paid the rack rate. Did I comment on anything that was reflective of a Hilton? or Marriott?

As a paying guest, I am entitled to a prompt checkin and a room that is not hotter than hell.

I didn't complain about the lack of elevators and the fact that I requested a ground floor. I didn't complain about the fact that there is one ice machine for the whole building(and it is on the first floor). I didn't complain about the fact that while they say breakfast is served at 6 AM there was no coffee available.

What I do expect is what they advertise and what I pay for.


I can never understand why people will come on FT to complain about something rather than complain where it will get action. Since you were so unhappy with your stay, complain to Baymont/Wyndham. Thats the only way the problems can get fixed and you can find that satisfaction that it seems like you are searching for.

I can never understand why people will come on FT to complain about something rather than complain where it will get action.

Umm, perhaps to let other similar-minded members of this community know about the problem?

Also, put me down in the "don't buy into the 'chain/franchise/not-really-Wyndham so don't expect consistency" is total bullhockey camp. Wyndham changed the reward program name to put their corporate name and flagship brand name out front. Wyndham Worldwide (or whatever subsidiary does the franchising) has, or should have, brand standards and general quality levels. I don't understand why you're putting down the OP for a good post about a problem, while you are putting up barriers to defend Wyndham.

I'm of the opinion that if I get a really crappy Comfort Inn, it DOES reflect on Choice Hotels. If I get a horrible Hampton, it reflects on Hilton. If somebody gets a bad Baymont, it reflects on Wyndham.

Unless you have some "skin in the game" for Wyndham, I don't see why you are defending by the old "it's not really the company's fault" scam.

Umm, perhaps to let other similar-minded members of this community know about the problem?

Also, put me down in the "don't buy into the 'chain/franchise/not-really-Wyndham so don't expect consistency" is total bullhockey camp. Wyndham changed the reward program name to put their corporate name and flagship brand name out front. Wyndham Worldwide (or whatever subsidiary does the franchising) has, or should have, brand standards and general quality levels. I don't understand why you're putting down the OP for a good post about a problem, while you are putting up barriers to defend Wyndham.

I'm of the opinion that if I get a really crappy Comfort Inn, it DOES reflect on Choice Hotels. If I get a horrible Hampton, it reflects on Hilton. If somebody gets a bad Baymont, it reflects on Wyndham.

Unless you have some "skin in the game" for Wyndham, I don't see why you are defending by the old "it's not really the company's fault" scam.

Its commendable to let fellow members know about a problem one has encountered and am all in support of that but to rant about it without doing something more about it (i.e. communicating the problem to the company in question) is what I take issue with. Same feelings would apply if this complaint was about an airline or car rental or anything for that matter.

Also, I don't appreciate having "words put into my mouth". I never said that there shouldn't be consistency in a brand. Of course there should be. And every brand out there has some sort of brand standards and quality assurance. But to write off a whole brand and even more so a whole family of brands based on an experience at one particular property, IMO is a bit unreasonable.

This brings up the question, What does Wyndham get out of associating itself with all these less than stellar brands?